Rotary engine.



PATENTED MAR. 7, 1905.

W. M. EWING.

ROTARY ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 11, 1904.

5 SHEETBSHEET l.

athozmmp PATENTED MAR. 7, 1905.

W. M. EWING.

ROTARY ENGINE.

APPLIOATION FILED AUG. 11, 1904.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

T43 @wuemfo aUomw-L I PATENTE D MAR. 7, 1905.

EBHEBTB-SHEET 3.

W. M. EWING.

ROTARY ENGINE.

APPLICATION rum) AUG.11. 1904.

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No. 784,892. PATENTED MARJ7,1905. W. Mi EWING.

ROTARY ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 11. 1904.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

No. 784,392. PATENTED MAR. '7, 1905.

W. M. EWING.

ROTARY ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.11, 1904.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

E win wife's 'UNTTED STATES Patented March '7, 1905.

PATENT FFICE.

ROTARY ENGINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 784,392, dated March '7, 1905.

Application filed August 11, 1904. Serial No. 220,352.

To m7] whom, it ntrty concern..-

Be it known that I, \VILLIAM MEssENGER TQWING, of Philadelphia, in the State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Rotary Engines; and I hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying d rawings, w hich form part of this specification.

This invention is a novel engine, especially designed for use with expansive fluids, such as steam, and may be generally classed among rotary engines. Its object is to provide an engine wherein the full expansive force of the fluid may be utilized in obtaining power.

In the preferred form it consists, in brief, of two movable abutments or pistons, which rotate in planes at right angles to and intersecting each other, one piston forming the abutment for the other and -the two pistons or abntments being intergeared, so that they mutually assist each other, and the force derived from each piston is transmitted to the same shaft or pulley from which the power of the engine may be taken.

The invention further consists in compounding a plurality of such engines so that the exhaust-steam from one engine may be utilized to actuate another engine whose working chambers are of greater area, so that such compound engine will act on the expanslon principle, thereby deriving the benefit of the expansion principle of operation, such engines acting in tandem upon a common shaftor pul ley.

The in\ 'ention further resides in the novel constructions and combinations of parts hereinafter described,and without further attem pting to specify the same here I shall proceed to describe the invention as embodied in the compound engine illustrated in the accompanying drawings, which show the invention in the best form now known to me; but I do not restrict myself to the specific construction, arrangement, or dimensions of parts shown in such drawings, as when the principle of the engine is disclosed it will be possible for the same to be embodied in different forms by skilled engineers without departing from ,the spirit of my invention. I refer to the claims following said detailed description for summaries of the features of the invention and combinations thereof for which I desire protection.

In said drawings, Figure l is a top plan view of a duplex compound engine embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section thereof. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal horizontal section. Fig. i is a detail view of part of the stationary frame. Fig. 5 is a side view. Figs. 6, 7. 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12 are transverse sections taken, respectively, on lines 6 6, 7 7, 8 S, I) 9, 10 10,11 11, and 12 12 on Fig. 2. Figs. 13 and 14: are detail sectional views.

1 designates the base of the engine, pro vided at its ends with uprights 1 and 1", in which are supported the operative parts of the engine proper. In the upright I" is keyed a cylinder 2, to the inner end of which is attached an annular casting having opposite side walls 2 and which is connected at a point diametrically opposite cylinder 2 to a second cylinder 2. To the other end of cylinder 2" is rigidly connected a second annular casting 2, which is in turn connected at a point diametrically opposite cylinder 2" to a cylinder 2", which is supported in a sleeve 5", journaled in the upright 1, as shown. The parts 2 2 2" are all stationary and are retained so by means of a key I between cylinder 2 and bearing 1 (See Fig. 2.) The space between the annular castings 2 forms one of the working chambers A of the engine, and on the castings 9., projecting equatorially at right angles thereto, are flanges 3, the space between which formsanotherworkingchamber,B. (SeeFigs. 3, I, and 5.)

\Vithin the chamber A, formed between the walls 2, works a piston I, which is disk-like and has a major portion r, equal in diameter to the chamber 2, and a minor portion 4", whose diameter is less than the diameter of the chamber, for a reason hereinafter explained. This piston I is mounted on a shaft I, which is journaled in boxes 2", attached to the walls 2.

The working chamber B is at right angles to the chamber A and intersects the latter. \Vithin the chamber 13 operates a piston 5, which is semicircular in extent and is formed within an annulus 3*, which is itself supported and centered relatively to the chamber B by means of arms or bars 5", 5, and 5 which arms are rigidly attached at their one end to a sleeve 5, which is journaled upon the exterior of the cylinder 2 to the inside of the bearing 1, as shown. The arms 5', 5 and 5 extend across toward the bearing 1 on parallel lines and at the end adjacent to bearing 1 are bent inward, and their ends are rigidly connected to the inner end of the sleeve 5 which is rotatably journaled in the bearing 1 and rotatably surrounds the cylinder 2 On the sleeve 5 exterior to the bearing is keyed a pulley 5 from which the power of the engine may be taken. The arms 5, 5, and 5 I carry 'a second annulus 3 and piston 5 similar to the piston 5, which works between the flanges 3 of the left-hand engine. The arms 5 5, and 5 also carry between the engines a sleeve 5, which is connected to the arms 5 by arms 5 said sleeve 5 surrounding the sleeve 2 All the parts lettered 5 to 5, inclusive, have a movement of rotation around the stationary parts lettered 2 to 2 and this fact being kept in mind will facilitate the understanding of the construction and operation of the engine.

On the right-hand end of the sleeve 5 is fixed a beveled gear 5, which meshes with a beveled gear 2 on a stub-shaft 2, journaled in a bearing attached to one of the parts 2- and having on its inner end a small pinion 2, which meshes with a gear 4 attached to the piston 4, the gearing being such that the rotation of the piston 4 will tend to rotate the piston 5 in the proper direction around the piston 4, and the rotation of the piston 5 will similarly tend to rotate the piston 4 in the proper direction within and at right angles to the plane of rotation of the piston 5.

As the arrangement and construction of the piston-cylinder and gear for the left-hand engine or that engine to the left of the sleeve 2 is identically similar in construction to the right-hand engine, I have lettered the similar parts of the two engines alike, so as to avoid any confusion in the description, and each engine operates alike. The left-hand engine, however, is operated by the expansion of the exhaust-steam from the right-hand engine, and for this reason the cubical area of the working chambers and pistons of the lefthand engine is greater than the cubical area of the working chambers and pistons of the right-hand engine, and the ports to and from the respective engines are proportioned accordingly.

From the foregoing description it will be observed that the piston 4 rotates in an annular chamber A formed between the Walls 2, and that the piston 5 rotates in an annular chamber B formed between the walls 3, the chambers A and B intersecting each other.

It will further be observed that the piston 4 is practically a complement of the piston 5 that is, the piston 5 would fill the minor portion of the piston 4, or the piston 4 would practically fill out the piston 5 or annulus 3.

The pistons 4 and 5' rotate in intersecting planes, and I utilize one piston as an abutment for the other as follows: When the pistons are in place, as indicated in Fig. 2, the piston 5 fits closely over the reduced portion 4 of the piston 4. Consequently if steam is admitted between the sideof piston 5 and the end of the enlarged part of piston 4 (see Fig. 2) piston 4 will be rotated in the direction of the arrow in said figure, and the parts are so proportioned that the piston 4 will be driven a complete semirevolution before piston 5 has entirely passed over the upper part' of the minor portion 4 of piston 4. Steam or other operative fluid is admitted against the end of piston 4 and between it and the piston 5 through the port 5, which extends through the arm 5 and the sleeve 5 and communicates with a port 2 in the sleeve 2, Fig. 2. The port 5 also communicates with a chamber S in piston 5, and this chamber through an opening 3 admits steam into the chamber A between the pistons 5 and 4, the admission of steam being continued during practically the entire half-revolution of the pistons 5 and4 until piston 5 has passed over the top of piston 4 and begins to pass under the same. At this time steam will be admitted between the other side of piston 5 and the end of piston 4 through a chamber 3 and passage 3 in the piston 5, said chamber 3 then communicating through a passage 5 with a port 2 in the sleeve 2, the ports 2 and 2 alternately taking steam at each half-revolution of the pistons. It will be seen that the piston 5 while rotating around the piston 4 forms an abutment for the piston 4 and practically forms the end of the chamber A between the walls 2. Just before and during the admission of steam through the port 3" against the piston 4, as indicated in Fig. 2, steam is permitted to escape in front of the piston through an outlet-port 6, which isformed in the wall of one of the parts 2 and connects with a channel leading into the cylinder 2, as shown. Just before and while the steam is admitted at the lower side of the piston 4 through the port 3 steam is exhausted in advance of the piston 4 into the cylinder 2 through the passage 6, as shown in the drawings.

While I utilize piston 5 as an abutment for piston 4 and as a means of supplying steam thereto I similarly utilize piston 4 as an abutment for piston 5, as will be clearly seen by reference to Fig. 9, whichv shows a sectional elevation of line 9 9 of Fig. 2, the pistons in Fig. 9 having the same relation that they have in Fig. 2. in these figures piston 4 rotates clockwise; but the piston 5 rotates contrariwise or to the left. The larger part of the piston 4 closes the chamber B between the walls passes under the pistons and its rear end passes over the top of said piston, at which time and just when the positions of the pistons are reversed, (so that part L of the pis ton 4: at the top and the rear end of piston 5 is just past the plane of piston a) steam is again admitted to the ports 7 7, the latter port now registering with a port 7 in cylinder 2, so that the piston 5 is moved on in the proper direction under fresh impulse of steam. 'hen the ports are in the position shown in Fig. 9, the steam in advance of piston 5 is exhausted through the port 6 into the cylinder 2", and during the succeedingimpulse of the piston 5 the steam will be exhausted through the passage 6, which also leads into the cylinder 2.

The ports in the cylinder 2 and in the rotating sleeve 5 are so located that the steam will be admitted into the respective chambers A and B twice during each rotation of the respective pistons and at the proper times in the rotation of said pistons. The inlet-ports in cylinder 2 may be so proportioned as to cut off the steam-supply at any desired points in the rotation of the pistons.

It will be seen that the side of the piston 5 in chamber B forms a working abutment for the piston l in the chamber A and that the side of the larger portion of the piston 4: in chamber A forms a working abutment for the piston 5 in the chamber B. In this mannerl am enabled to have the two pistons rotate in intersecting planes without any conflict and synchronously, and as the two pistons are intergeared a harmonized movement thereof is assured and the full power derived from each is transmitted to the rotating parts.

The pistons in the left-hand engine receive the steam from the cylinder 2", which latter is supplied by the exhaust from the right-hand engine through the arrangement of ports substantially as already shown and described for the right-hand engine, the ports being similarly lettered in both cases, and from the lefthand engine the steam exhausts into the cylinder 2. The live steam may be supplied to cylinder 2 from any suitable source through the pipe 8 and can be exhausted from the cylinder 2 through the pipe 8. Obviously another engine of similar construction may be arranged in linewith the others and be actuated by the exhaust-steam from cylinder 2, and such third engine should of course have larger pistons and working chambers than the second engine, and it is obvious that I may employ any number of engines in an expansion series, as such will be practically mere duplications of the left-hand engine'shown in the drawings, both in construction and arrangement, except for the necessary variation in cubical areas of their ports and working chambers to allow the proper utilization of the expansive force of the exhaust-steam.

It will be observed that the pistons at and 5 not only form abutments for each other, but they also practically form the controllingvalves for each other, the inlet and exhaust of the steam to the working chambers being determined by the relative positions of the two pistons. The time and duration of admission of steam to the working chambers is determined by properly locating the ports in the sleeves 5 and 5 and the cylinders 2 and 2".

From the foregoing description the principle and novel and essential characteristics of the invention will be comprehended by those skilled in the art, as well as the practicalstructure of the specific form of engine shown in the drawings, and it is obvious that the essential features of the invention are not dependent upon the specific construction shown in the drawings. For instance, it will be obvious that various changes may be made in the forms and proportions of parts and in their construction and arrangement within the scope of my invention, and if the two pistons are intergeared a good working engine could be made in which only one of said pistons would be active. Directly'steam-actuatedfor example, if the ports to chamber B should be closed or dispensed with-the engine would still operate by reason of the power applied to thepiston 4, or if the ports which supply steam to chamber A were closed or dispensed with the engine would still be operative by reason of the steam applied to the piston In such cases the negative piston would simply act as an abutment and valve for the other piston. 1 prefer, however, to make both pistons active, and thereby increase the power.

Of course suitable packings should be provided between the pistons i and 5 and the adjacent stationary walls of the chambers A and B to prevent leakage of steam; but-this forms no part of the present invention.

It will be observed that in my engine each piston is continuously and positively acting. In other words, each piston is driven in both half-revolutions under the direct action of the propelling fluid, and neither devolves labor upon the other; In other words, each piston is double-acting, receiving two power impulses during each revolution.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In an engine, the combination of two rotatin g and simultaneously-active pistons moving in intersecting planes.

2. In an engine, the combination of two re- &

tating and simultaneously-active pistons moving in intersecting planes, each of said pistons forming an abutment for the other.

3. The combination of a piston rotating in oneplane, a second piston rotating in a plane intersecting that of the first piston, each of said pistons forming a moving abutment for the other and operating actively and simultaneously.

4. The combination of a piston rotating in one plane, and a second piston rotating in a plane at right angles to-and intersecting that of the first piston, each of said pistons being continuously active and respectivelyforming a moving abutment for the other.

5. The combination of a piston rotating in one plane, a second piston rotating inaplane intersecting that of the first piston, each of said pistons being continuously positively active, and respectively forming a moving abutment for the other, and gearing between said pistons.

6. In an engine, the combination of a continuously positively active piston rotating in one plane, and a second continuously positivelyactive piston rotating in aplane atright angles to the plane of the first piston, said pistons being provided with steam-inlet ports, substantially as described.

7 In combination, a stationary annular chamber, a continuously positively active piston rotating therein, a second annular chamber intersecting that of the first chamber, and a continuously positively active piston rotating in said chamber provided with ports adapted to supply steam to the first chamber, and'means for applying steam to the second chamber.

8. In a rotary engine, the combination of a chamber, a rotating continuously positively active piston therein, a second chamber intersecting the first chamber, a rotating continuously positively active piston in said chamber intersecting the plane of the first piston, each piston forming the working abutment for the other piston, and means for introducing propelling fluid to and exhausting it from the respective chambers.

9. In a rotary engine, the combination of an annular chamber, a piston rotating therein, a second annular chamber intersecting the first chamber, a piston rotating in said second chamber, each of said pistons forming a moving abutment for the other, inlet-passages in the second piston for supplying steam continuously to the first piston-chamber, and inletpassages in the supports of the said second piston for supplying steam continuously to its chamber, and exhaust-ports from the respective chambers, substantially as described.

- 10. In a rotary engine, the combination of a chamber, a rotating piston therein, a second chamber intersecting the first chamber, a rotating piston in said chamber intersecting the 11. The combination of annular chamber fixedly supported, a continuously positively active piston rotating therein, a second annular chamber intersecting the plane of the first chamber, a continuouslypositively active piston rotatably supported in said chamber, and intersecting the plane of rotation of the first piston, rotatable supports for the second piston, fluid-inlet passages through the walls of said supports and through said piston, and fluid outlet or exhaust passages from said chambers.

12. The combination of a ported cylinder, a sleeve rotatably mounted thereon provided with ports adapted to register with the ports therein, a fixed piston-chamber, a rotatable piston therein, and a movable abutment for the said piston moving in a plane intersecting the plane of movement of said piston, sup ports for said abutment connecting it with said sleeve, and passage-ports leading through said abutment and its supports to the sleeveports, substantially as described.

13. In an engine, the combination of a ported cylinder, arotatable ported sleeve thereon, a pair of annular piston-chambers arranged in intersecting planes, rotatable pistons in said chambers, one of said pistons forming the working abutment for the other, and'a connection between one of said pistons and the sleeve, whereby the said piston rotates the sleeve, and ports leading through said supports and the piston connected therewith, substantially as described.

M. The combination of annular chamber fixedly supported, a continuously positively active piston rotating therein, a second annular chamber intersecting the plane of the first chamber, a continuously positively active piston rotatably supported in said chamber, and intersecting the plane of rotation of the first piston, each of said pistons forming the working abutment for the other, rotatable supports for the second piston, fluid-inlet passages through the walls of said supports and through said piston, and fluid outlet or exhaust passages from said chambers leading through the stationary supports of the first chamber.

15 The combination of a stationary ported cylinder, a stationary chamber, a piston rotating in said chamber, a rotating frame connected with said sleeve, an abutment connected to said frame and rotating in a plane intersecting the plane of rotation of the first piston, ports leading from said abutment and through its supports to said cylinder, whereby steam is admitted to the respective piston-chambers.

16. In a rotary engine, the combination of a plane of the first piston, each piston forming pair of intersecting chambers, a rotating piston in one chamber, a piston in the other chamber moving at right angles to the first piston, rotatable supports for said second piston exterior to the fixed Walls of the chambers, supply ports and passages leading through the rotative supports to the chamber of the second piston, and inlet ports and passages leading through the supports and said second piston to the chamber of the first piston, and exhaust ports and passages from said chamber, substantially as described.

17. The combination of a stationary ported cylinder, a chamber rigidly connected therewith, a piston rotating in said chamber, a rotating frame connected with said sleeve, a piston connected to said frame and rotating in a plane intersecting the plane of rotation of the first piston, ports leading through said second piston and its supports to said cylinder, exhaust-passages in the stationary Walls of the piston-chanibers, and gearing between the respective pistons exterior to the Workingchambers.

18. In a rotary engine, the combination of a pair of intersecting chambers, a rotating piston in one chamber supported upon the fixed Walls thereof, a piston in the other chamber moving at right angles to the first piston, rotatable supports for said second piston exterior to the fixed Walls of the chambers, each of said pistons forming the working abutment for the other piston, supply ports and passages leading through the rotative supports to the chamber of the second piston; inlet ports and passages leading through the supports and said second piston to the chamber of the first piston, and exhaust ports and passages in the stationary walls of the chambers, substantially as described.

in testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WlLlilAM MESSENGER EWlNG.

Witnesses:

FRANCIS B. SMITH, CHARLES FORD OARMAN. 

